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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/13/march-in-march-doesnt-offer-credible-alternatives
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| 'March in March' doesn't offer credible alternatives | 'March in March' doesn't offer credible alternatives |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| This weekend, protesters will be heading to the | This weekend, protesters will be heading to the |
| streets to participate in March in March across the country. Organisers have said the weekend of protest “signifies the people’s | streets to participate in March in March across the country. Organisers have said the weekend of protest “signifies the people’s |
| vote of no confidence in policies of the government that go against common | vote of no confidence in policies of the government that go against common |
| principles of humanity, decency, fairness social justice and equity, democratic | principles of humanity, decency, fairness social justice and equity, democratic |
| governance, responsible global citizenship and conserving our natural | governance, responsible global citizenship and conserving our natural |
| heritage.” | heritage.” |
| With the election of Tony Abbott to | With the election of Tony Abbott to |
| the lodge, the left seems to have adopted many of the right’s oppositional | the lodge, the left seems to have adopted many of the right’s oppositional |
| tactics. There is the same heavy focus on “lies”, “broken promises” and “secrecy” – a focus on Abbott’s character and not much in the way of presenting new policies. These are linked to similar destabilisation | tactics. There is the same heavy focus on “lies”, “broken promises” and “secrecy” – a focus on Abbott’s character and not much in the way of presenting new policies. These are linked to similar destabilisation |
| tactics – highlighted by a recent petition which has | tactics – highlighted by a recent petition which has |
| gained over 60,000 signatures – calling on the governor general to sack the | gained over 60,000 signatures – calling on the governor general to sack the |
| government. | government. |
| All of this is based on an ongoing claim, yelled very loudly, that | All of this is based on an ongoing claim, yelled very loudly, that |
| the Abbott government is illegitimate due to his apparent reliance on the Murdoch media | the Abbott government is illegitimate due to his apparent reliance on the Murdoch media |
| to get elected. This argument, whilst as weak as Abbott’s claims that the Gillard | to get elected. This argument, whilst as weak as Abbott’s claims that the Gillard |
| government was illegitimate, but seem to be just a fervently | government was illegitimate, but seem to be just a fervently |
| believed. | believed. |
| Instead of licking our wounds and creating an alternative | Instead of licking our wounds and creating an alternative |
| approach, we have focused on tearing the government down, and using | approach, we have focused on tearing the government down, and using |
| whatever arguments and tactics we can find to do so. After years of hammering Abbott for this brand of politicking, one | whatever arguments and tactics we can find to do so. After years of hammering Abbott for this brand of politicking, one |
| could ask why the left is following suit – it seems like a rather hypocritical | could ask why the left is following suit – it seems like a rather hypocritical |
| move. | |
| Investigate further though, and you can see that the use of these | Investigate further though, and you can see that the use of these |
| tactics is a worrying symptom of a fundamental crisis in politics. Over the past decades the left has lost its social base, leaving it | tactics is a worrying symptom of a fundamental crisis in politics. Over the past decades the left has lost its social base, leaving it |
| weak as it faces the Abbott government. Union membership is at an all time low, | weak as it faces the Abbott government. Union membership is at an all time low, |
| a drop in numbers that is being met with a significant drop in influence. | a drop in numbers that is being met with a significant drop in influence. |
| The environment and climate movement is facing similar problems, struggling heavily to deal with recent political | The environment and climate movement is facing similar problems, struggling heavily to deal with recent political |
| realities. The neoliberal agenda is slowly crushing progressive | realities. The neoliberal agenda is slowly crushing progressive |
| politics, leaving us stuck with these sorts of attack-based campaigns to beat | politics, leaving us stuck with these sorts of attack-based campaigns to beat |
| our opponents. | our opponents. |
| The crisis represents an overarching general dissatisfaction with politics and politicians, and a strong dislike of our | The crisis represents an overarching general dissatisfaction with politics and politicians, and a strong dislike of our |
| political system and processes. A recent Newspoll survey highlights this really well: on nearly every issue both major parties have gone backwards in recent months, | political system and processes. A recent Newspoll survey highlights this really well: on nearly every issue both major parties have gone backwards in recent months, |
| signifying a shift away from any trust of our political leaders. And the left | signifying a shift away from any trust of our political leaders. And the left |
| has been just as culpable. | has been just as culpable. |
| And this is where adopting Abbott’s tactics becomes problematic. In | And this is where adopting Abbott’s tactics becomes problematic. In |
| the short term, it seems like a good strategy, but the long term damage will be real. In using this strategy, the left | the short term, it seems like a good strategy, but the long term damage will be real. In using this strategy, the left |
| have failed to understand this anti-politics sentiment. We have in fact bought | have failed to understand this anti-politics sentiment. We have in fact bought |
| into it - playing an insider game focusing on broken promises, parliamentary | into it - playing an insider game focusing on broken promises, parliamentary |
| tactics and media games, whilst effectively ignoring any real and substantive | tactics and media games, whilst effectively ignoring any real and substantive |
| issues. | issues. |
| A new approach needs to be found. We need to recognise that this | A new approach needs to be found. We need to recognise that this |
| dislike of politics is actually a good thing: the rejection of a system that now largely serves the interests of | dislike of politics is actually a good thing: the rejection of a system that now largely serves the interests of |
| the upper classes. The left now needs to tap directly into this | the upper classes. The left now needs to tap directly into this |
| sentiment. | sentiment. |
| There are plenty of successful examples of this. Russel Brand’s comments last year, for example, struck a chord largely because of his | There are plenty of successful examples of this. Russel Brand’s comments last year, for example, struck a chord largely because of his |
| anti-establishment or anti-politics tone. The same can be said for the success | anti-establishment or anti-politics tone. The same can be said for the success |
| of the Occupy movement. A bit closer to home and the climate movement has | of the Occupy movement. A bit closer to home and the climate movement has |
| managed to gain significant momentum recently through going | managed to gain significant momentum recently through going |
| around standard political channels and directly taking on the power of the fossil fuel industry. | around standard political channels and directly taking on the power of the fossil fuel industry. |
| The asylum seeker movement is also shifting its course - with the successful boycott campaign over the Sydney Biennale | The asylum seeker movement is also shifting its course - with the successful boycott campaign over the Sydney Biennale |
| growing new energy for the campaign. | growing new energy for the campaign. |
| These tactics are about tackling the system from a different angle. | These tactics are about tackling the system from a different angle. |
| They’re about challenging the power systems that are stacked up against us, and | They’re about challenging the power systems that are stacked up against us, and |
| building a sustainable social base to do so. They are about doing the hard work | building a sustainable social base to do so. They are about doing the hard work |
| of rebuilding our social movements, and rebuilding them to take on the systems | of rebuilding our social movements, and rebuilding them to take on the systems |
| that underpin our political system. | that underpin our political system. |
| March in March doesn’t do this. Neither does attacking Abbott’s broken | March in March doesn’t do this. Neither does attacking Abbott’s broken |
| promises, calling for him to be sacked, or claiming his government is | promises, calling for him to be sacked, or claiming his government is |
| illegitimate. We have to do better than this. | illegitimate. We have to do better than this. |